The young Papist has a rather dire note about the Catholic Church in France.
Christian Campbell, an Anglican blogger who aspires to full communion with Rome, excerpts an article in French newspaper La Croix which details how rapidly France is de-Christianizing:
The IFOP Institute has just made a survey on Catholicism in France for the daily La Croix. The result is mind-blowing:
*Whilst, in 1965, 81% of the French declared themselves as Catholics, they were no more than 64% in 2009.
*More serious: whilst 27% of the French went to Mass once a week or more in 1965, they are no more than 4.5% in 2009. [Higher than I thought. I wonder what part of that 4.5% attend the older form of Mass.]
*At a doctrinal level, generally, it’s a catastrophe: 63% of practicing Catholics think all religions are the same; 75% ask for an “aggiornamento” of the Church on contraception and even 68% for abortion.
*As for communion with the Roman Pontiff, the situation is no better: only 27% of practicing Catholics consider that Benedict XVI “rather well” defends “the values of Catholicism” (personally, I don’t even understand the question, but that doesn’t matter) when 34% think he defends them “rather badly”.
This is a cautionary tale, folks.
Our Lord promised that the Church would survive until He returned.
He did not promise it would survive in France.. or in England, or the United States or anywhere else…. even Rome.
Think about the once thriving ancient Churches in North Africa and Asia Minor.
Wasn’t France known as the Roman Church’s eldest daughter
There are no guarantees that the Church in your region will survive.
There are no guarantees that your diocese or your parish will survive.
They won’t if you are not involved and willing to give support, even at some cost.
